Modern flooring for buildings, particularly residences, is often constructed of four by eight foot tongue and groove plywood panels laid on parallel joists. When the flooring is being laid each succeeding panel must be driven into engagement with the preceeding panel with considerable force to securely engage the tongue in the groove. This has been accomplished in the past by a team of two workmen, one of whom stands over the mating edges of the boards and guides the driven board into place, while the other stands on the driven board and drives same with a sledge hammer applied against a 2 .times. 4 placed along the outer edge of the panel.
This proceedure has several drawbacks, among them being the need for two men to do the job. Considerable risk of injury to the workers also exists since occasionally the sledge misses its marks and flies into the worker acting as the guide, and the hammer-wielding worker is in danger of falling through the joists and incurring severe injury when a second story floor is being laid.